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Andrew Fisher

December 09, 2018

This question haunts the frontbenchers of both the Conservative government and Her Majesty's loyal opposition, the Labour Party. With less than 60 hours to go before the planned Meaningful Vote (MV) on Prime Minister Theresa May's blind Brexit deal, there is still time for a Conservative coup. One of my fellow members of Labour Business has suggested an elegant but politically explosive escape route for the Tories, famed for their ruthlessness in despatching leaders that threaten their Party's longer term electability.

The PM explains to Parliament, after defeat in the MV, that given the failure of her "deal" and with the clock ticking, she feels it is in the national interest to halt and revoke Article 50 TEU. She signs the letter of revocation, and so the status quo prevails. She then resigns. That way the blame for the fiasco will be on her shoulders, not the Tory party. A binding vote follows which supports her decision, as there is a majority against no deal and against her deal.

NB The European Court of Justice (ECJ) conveniently rules on that matter tomorrow morning. Boom, boom. On the basis of current information the idea of May falling on her proverbial sword is ridiculous. But there is an issue for Parliament, which currently seems to be still being treated as sacred. That is the "will of the people". I confess to having had difficulties with the whole process. The EU Referendum was a cowardly Tory construct aided and abetted by the Liberal Democrats, their coalition partners prior to the fateful 2015 General Election, and shamefully waived through by the interim Labour leadership under Harriet Harman. At the time no one asked can Brexit be delivered. Worse, Cameron instructed the then Cabinet Secretary, Jeremy Heywood NOT to undertake any impact studies. Critical differences exist between then and now.

It can be argued the 2016 Referendum was a theoretical exercise. Today the question is for real, and if all the Parliamentary options were exhausted then at least a public/people's vote aka a referendum would be better informed - providing an appetite for facts can be aroused. Brexit, as set out by the Johnson, Davis, Fox triumvirate aided and abetted by Farage, Putin and whomever else can be plausibly enmeshed in the Brexit conspiracy, is now seen for what it was - undeliverable.

Labour wants to be in government. This morning shadow Cabinet Minister Job Trickett and Corbyn's own Director of Policy Andrew Fisher are flying a minority government on Wednesday kite! How that one could fly in the light of Corbyn's latest speech to the PSE Congress in Lisbon over the weekend is another mystery. Why would the Scottish Nationalist, LiberalDemocrat or Green MPs agree to support a minority Labour Government indulging in fantastical notions of a better Brexit?

Of course, there will be some people who would be cross if Brexit were cancelled. But would they mimic "les gilets jaunes"? The people yearning for job prospects and better public services whom it is believed voted Leave are going to be much worse off with any sort of Brexit, and the faster Labour politicians pluck up courage to say so the better.